Training Cave boxing gym moves into bigger new base in Birstall to meet increasing demand for its free community programmes
A boxing gym and education centre has relocated to new premises in Birstall to meet growing demand for its sessions.
Training Cave started nine years ago as a small boxing gym delivering evening boxing and fitness classes, and it has since grown into a thriving community hub.
The not-for-profit centre is home to an amateur boxing team and an educational setting, delivering accredited boxing and sports awards to disengaged children and young people referred by organisations including Youth Justice Services, and more than 20 local schools.
Founder and CEO, Jack Sunderland, said: “I’m really proud of what we have achieved over the last nine years and it wouldn’t be possible without the support of our members and the community.”
Training Cave officially opened the doors to its new facility at Carr Mills Business Centre in Birstall on March 30.
The move was supported by local tradespeople and members of the community, including volunteers from DNP Building Services Ltd, LMB Group Ltd, Kwik Fit and Yorkshire Boxing head coach, Alan Haque, who gave time and resources to help turn the project around in just seven weeks.
Jack said: “Now that we are in the new facility, we can focus on increasing our reach and continuing the positive impact our programmes have within the community.”
The new facility is more than twice the size of the previous gym and will enable Training Cave to double the amount of free community programmes it delivers.
These include “Boxing for SEND” classes, education and employability programmes for NEET (not in education, employment or training) young people, holiday camps providing children eligible for free school meals with a hot lunch, and anti-crime workshops for children vulnerable to gang involvement.
Jack added: “Over the last 18 months we have seen a 69 per cent increase in participants on Training Cave’s free community programmes and a 35 per cent increase in participants on our education programmes.
“Due to this rapid growth, we needed to relocate to a larger premises to meet the community's needs and continue removing barriers to improved well-being.”
For more information about Training Cave and the programmes if offers, visit its website: https://trainingcave.co.uk/